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Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Eric's Blu-ray Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Disney and Lucasfilm have unleashed Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD for fans to take with them everywhere they go. The Blu-ray release of the movie comes with great bonus material that will no doubt thrill everyone. I reviewed the movie itself when it came out and you can read that right here.

In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction. They are ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

After rewatching Rogue One: A Star Wars Story a couple of times, I take back complaints I had over Forest Whitaker's portrayal of Saw Gerrera. When I first viewed the movie, he seemed a little over-the-top and overly dramatic. I guess it just took a little getting used to seeing him in that part. The CGI appearance of young Leia is also easier on the eyes after a few viewings. The first time I saw a young Carrie Fisher in a new scene, I started scrutinizing every little detail.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is still one of my favorite entries in the saga. In some ways, I feel it's better than The Force Awakens. My opinion might be swayed a bit by the appearance of Grand Moff Tarkin and my love for Peter Cushing. The fact that it also visually takes me back to my childhood and the first Star Wars movie probably plays a big role in my decision-making as well. All that aside, it's a well-executed piece of sci-fi history that is visually exciting and emotionally gripping. It also tells a tale that every Star Wars fan has dreamed about and speculated over since reading the crawl for Episode IV in 1977.

Several featurettes make up the bonus material for the Blu-ray release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Each one of them explores a diverse facet of the making of the film. The CGI creation of two classic characters is explored in The Princess and the Governor. The different characters are examined in segments including Jyn: The Rebel, Cassian: The Spy, K-2SO: The Droid, and more. The Empire, Visions of Hope: The Look of Rogue One, and A Rogue Idea are a few more you can look forward to diving into.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is rated PG-13 for extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action. It is definitely a war movie, but without too much gore thanks to the way laser blasts seem to cauterize wounds. Things do get dark at times, especially when one character shows up in particular.